La Crosse Rep. Billings, Sen. Pfaff hold listening sessions, with residents’ priorities including UW-L’s science center, health care, immigration, film

Wisconsin lawmakers from La Crosse could be busy again this year promoting the Prairie Springs science center project for UWL.

State Assembly Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) and state Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) discussed Phase II of the Prairie Spring Science Center at UW-La Crosse with residents at a budget listening session Monday at La Crosse’s Main Street Library.

Billings said the science building project is being promoted well by the new UW-L chancellor, Dr. James Beeby.

“Having him in the capital as a good positive voice for the university has been a great thing,” Billings said.

Former Republican state Sen. Dan Kapanke was part of the listening session audience. He also said Beeby is going to make a difference in getting Prairie Springs passed in Madison.

Republicans have delayed the project for seven years. The price tag over that time has jumped from about $80 million to — at last estimate two years ago — $184 million

Billings added that Republicans in the Legislature have not been inclined to support Phase II of Prairie Springs, but she believes the La Crosse area deserves the science building.

The library audience also had concerns about school funding, health care and immigration.

Another topic, however, support for creating a Wisconsin film production office, got attention as well, and Billings wants to hear more about it.

“I think that there’s effort and energy behind developing some sort of a filming industry here in Wisconsin, that has tight control so that Wisconsin benefits from having the industry here,” Billing said, adding that she hasn’t heard much about promotion of film production in the state before now.

Wisconsin is among a handful of states which do not have an official film.

A proposal a few weeks ago would provide $10 million per year for tax credit film production incentives and establish a Wisconsin State Film Office.

The lead authors of the legislation are state Sens. Julian Bradley (R-New Berlin) and Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), as well as Assembly Reps. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake), Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) and Karen Hurd (R-Withee).